The use of single sheets provided as interfolded sheets for bath tissue has been widely accepted. Such single interfolded sheets often provide less waste than traditional rolled bath tissue. Similarly, the use of premoistened or “wet” sheets has gained wide acceptance for a variety of uses, particularly premoistened bathroom applications. The dry sheets and premoistened sheets are generally formed from an absorbent material such as a paper or a polymeric web, or combinations thereof, and may contain a disinfectant, medicant, deodorant, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, cleansing agent, and so forth, in one or more combinations, on a dry sheet, or in a “wet” formulation on a premoistened sheet. Premoistened sheets are generally stored and dispensed from a sealable container to prevent the sheets from drying out.
Various dispenser designs for dry and/or premoistened sheets have been used with existing bathroom fixtures, such as fixtures for conventional rolled products. These separate or combined dispensers are often cumbersome and bulky, and they are problematic with regard to space and mounting considerations. Refilling one or both dispensers can also be difficult.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a dispenser capable of dispensing dry and/or premoistened sheets, such as facial tissue, and so forth, from a table top. Such a dispenser would quickly and easily convert into a dispenser configured to couple to a conventional rolled product fixture and dispense sheets, such as toilet tissue, therefrom.
Definitions
As used herein, the term “fasteners” means devices that fasten, join, connect, secure, hold, or clamp components together. Fasteners include, but are not limited to, screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, snap-fits, tacks, nails, loop fasteners, and interlocking male/female connectors, such as fishhook connectors, a fish hook connector includes a male portion with a protrusion on its circumference. Inserting the male portion into the female portion substantially permanently locks the two portions together.
As used herein, the term “hinge” refers to a jointed or flexible device that connects and permits pivoting or turning of a part to a stationary component.
Hinges include, but are not limited to, metal pivotable connectors, such as those used to fasten a door to frame, and living hinges. Living hinges may be constructed from plastic and formed integrally between two members. A living hinge permits pivotable movement of one member in relation to another connected member.
As used herein, the term “couple” includes, but is not limited to, joining, connecting, fastening, linking, or associating two things integrally or interstitially together.
These terms may be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.